Edwards gets closer look in New Hampshire [View All]

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http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/opinion/6808231.htmEdwards gets closer look in New Hampshire
Finishing a solid third could help jump-start presidential campaign
SCOT LEHIGH
Boston Globe

BEDFORD, N.H. - As a mark of seriousness, it was unmistakable. U.S. Sen. John Edwards surprised the political world by ruling out a run for re-election to his North Carolina seat, an option widely assumed to be his fallback if his presidential campaign sputters.

"I obviously feel very optimistic or I wouldn't have made that decision," Edwards says, noting that he is now ahead (very narrowly) in South Carolina, site of the most important early Southern primary, and making progress in Iowa and New Hampshire.

By boldly burning his bridge, the first-term senator, who formally announced for president on Tuesday, has underscored his determination. That hasn't gone unnoticed in New Hampshire, where Edwards is in the hunt for third place.

With most media watching the duel between former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, little attention has been paid to the battle for bronze. Still, finishing a solid third is important for those candidates hoping to survive Iowa and New Hampshire and then jump-start their campaigns in the Feb. 3 round of primaries.

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